Title :
On Evaluating the Performability of Degradable Computing Systems
Author_Institution :
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Department of Computer and Communication Sciences, University of Michigan
Abstract :
If the performance of a computing system is "degradable," performance and reliability issues must be dealt with simultaneously in the process of evaluating system effectiveness. For this purpose, a unified measure, called "performability," is introduced and the foundations of performability modeling and evaluation are established. A critical step in the modeling process is the introduction of a "capability function" which relates low-level system behavior to user-oriented performance levels. A hierarchical modeling scheme is used to formulate the capability function and capability is used, in turn, to evaluate performability. These techniques are then illustrated for a specific application: the performability evaluation of an aircraft computer in the environment of an air transport mission.
Keywords :
Degradable computing systems; fault-tolerant computing; hierarchical modeling; performability evaluation; performance evaluation; reliability evaluation; Aerospace engineering; Aircraft propulsion; Application software; Computer crashes; Computer performance; Computer science; Degradation; Fault tolerant systems; Particle measurements; Performance evaluation; Degradable computing systems; fault-tolerant computing; hierarchical modeling; performability evaluation; performance evaluation; reliability evaluation;
Journal_Title :
Computers, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TC.1980.1675654
